For Your Love
by The Lady Athanasia
Summary: Holy crap, I haven't updated this thing in a long time. I'm trying to work on it, I promise! This is a story about Hermione, and whether or not she'll fall for Draco or Harry. I haven't figured it out yet, so please R&R and tell me! I am confused...
1. Hogwarts and Invisible Ink

  
  
  
Athanasia's back and better than ever! This is a story I put up a long time ago, but took down to make some changes and now, it's back up! I guess this could be either a GW/HP, HG/DM fic, or a HP/HG fic. Please review!  
BTW, NOTHING BELONGS TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the chapter titles are a bit messed up, so you'll have to excuse them...I suck at making up titles...   
  
  
  


Chapter 1: Hogwarts and Invisible Ink 

  
  
Hermione Granger sat aboard Hogwarts Express, staring blankly out the window. The train was still parked at platform nine and three-quarters and Harry, Ron and Ginny weren't here yet.  
  
"We will be departing in for Hogwarts in exactly ten minutes Please be seated by then." A voice magically magnified rang down the corridor. Through the window, Hermione could see several figures burst through the barrier that separated them from the muggle world. First came Ron, pushing a large cart laden with trunks. Then, following closely, came Harry, pulling Ginny right behind him. All three were laughing and soaking wet. It had started raining, apparently. The newscaster said it wouldn't stop until later tonight.   
  
Hermione glared jealously at Ginny and Harry. The two girls had confided in each other about their love for Harry. Later, during the summer, Ginny had asked Harry to go on a date with her. Ever since, they had been inseparable. Hermione had felt betrayed by Ginny, and had refused to talk to her since.  
  
Suddenly the door opened wide. Standing in the doorframe was none other than Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What's the matter, mudblood?" he sneered. "Where are your friends?"  
  
"Go away Malfoy!" Hermione said coldly.  
  
"Can't." his lip curled in a devilish smile. "All of the other compartments are full. Have to stay here."  
  
Hermione glanced behind him. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen. "What about your goons?" she glared at him.  
  
"What? Crabbe and Goyle? Their parents pulled them out last year."  
  
"Oh. Sorry." Hermione said without really meaning it. She turned away, back to the window, but, much to her discomfort, Draco sat next to her, resting his arm on the back of her chair. "Get your hand away from me, Malfoy." She glared at him. Draco made a perfect impression of her scowl.  
  
"Make me." He grinned. Hermione, without thinking, shoved him into the door, right at Harry's feet.  
  
Harry glared at Draco. "Get away from her, Malfoy." He slipped his hand away from Ginny's waist to grab Malfoy's collar and lift him up. "What are you doing here, anyways?"  
  
Malfoy's answer was suddenly cut off by the lurch of the train. The lurch knocked everyone off their feet, sending Ron down the hall.  
  
"I've got to stay here, Potter." Malfoy pushed himself away from Harry and rubbed his neck. "All of the other compartments are full." Harry said nothing, but glared at Malfoy even more sourly than Hermione had glared at him. The three of them filed in, and moved across the compartment, as far away from Malfoy as they could.  
  
"Hey, Hermione." Harry grinned at her.  
  
"Hey, guys! How was your summer?"  
  
They continued talking, acting as if Malfoy wasn't there, until the witch pushing the trolley full of sweets came. Harry bought a couple boxes of Chocolate frogs, and Ron bought some every flavor beans. Harry handed everyone (except Malfoy) several chocolate frogs. Hermione noticed that Malfoy didn't buy anything.  
  
After a few games of exploding snap, Neville came bursting into their compartment.  
  
"Harry!" he gasped. "Some Slytherin seventh years have stolen Trevor!" He looked desperately at Harry.  
  
"Ok. Hold on." Harry dug into his pocket for his wand, and he and Ron left the compartment. Ginny followed with Neville.  
  
When the door closed, Hermione was sure she heard Malfoy snort. She turned to him and glared again. Then, she dug into one of her own bags and pulled out one of their new magic books. She flipped to a certain page, and began to read. But, she found that she couldn't concentrate on "the differences between Gillyweed and Gilstoweed." She kept looking over the top of her book at Draco.  
  
"Gosh, he's cute." She thought to herself. "Wait! What am I thinking?" she yelled to herself. "Ok, ok. Gillyweed helps the person who eats it breathe underwater...water...swimming pools...I wonder what Draco looks like in a bathing suit...What am I thinking? Ah! Back to the book. Gilstoweed will make the person who eats it fly...flying...Quidditch...Draco's really good at Quidditch. Ah! Just don't even think about him, Hermione!" she told herself sternly. To her relief, Harry and Ron returned along with a very relieved Neville, holding a large, fat toad. The rest of the trip up was uneventful, and finally, the reached Hogwarts.  
  
They all crowded out, wading through a sea of other Hogwarts students. The rain poured down on them, soaking them all through their robes. Finally, they reached the horseless carriages and climbed into one of them. The cart lurched and bumped along the road to Hogwarts. Hermione got a glimpse out of the window.  
  
The castle shone like a beacon to lost souls. The misty glow of the candlelight from inside seemed brighter than it ever had in the past. Hermione glanced at her friends. She knew she was home.   
  
  
  
The Great Hall was filled with students. After they had filed in, sat down and watched the Sorting, Dumbledore rose.   
  
"I have a great number of announcements to make." His eyes were brighter than normal. "First of all, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher is Professor Lupin again!" There was a great roar of applause coming from every table except Slytherin. Hermione noticed that Draco had a slight smirk on his face though. "Next, the lawn nearest to Hagrid's cabin is reserved for our new Magical Creatures. And, lastly, the astronomy tower is off-limits to everyone except the Prefects, so naturally, the astronomy classes will be held on the lawn from now on. Now, let us enjoy our feast!" there was another great roar as the food magically appeared on the golden plates.  
  
Hermione grinned along with the rest as she heaped her plate with Mashed Potatoes, beef, steak, and as she chided Ron and Harry into eating a few pieces of broccoli. Afterwards, they all filed up to the Gryffindor Tower, stuffed. Hermione said goodnight to everyone, and nearly gagged when Harry kissed Ginny on the cheek. She raced up the stairs. Lavender and Parivati were already there.  
  
"Hey, Herm! Did you have a good summer?" Lavender asked.  
  
"Sure, whatever." She flopped down on her bed. She yanked the velvet curtains closed and tried to sleep as the two other girls chatted giggly about boys, boys, and, of course, boys. Hermione was only able to catch snippets of the conversation.  
  
"...yeah, I saw him...he's so cute!" they giggled.  
  
"I can't believe he's actually seeing her..." Another giggle.  
  
"Harry is so dreamy!" At this, Hermione yanked back the curtains.  
  
"What?" She asked. Parivati looked at Hermione startled.  
  
"We thought you were asleep!" she looked at her in wide-eyed horror.  
  
"Well, I guess I wasn't!" she smirked.  
  
"You won't tell him I said that, will you?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and flopped back on her bed. "Go to sleep!" she ordered. That must have worked, because there was no more chatter that night.  
  
  
  
Hermione woke the next morning, feeling that someone had hit her over the head with a 2x4. She stumbled out of bed and dressed quickly. Then, she looked at her watch that Harry had given her for her Birthday. She was late. She grabbed her bag and ran out of the room. The Common Room was nearly empty. She pushed open the portrait and stumbled out of it. She was nearing the Great Hall, when she was stopped by Peeves. He swooped out of nowhere, grabbing her bag, and sending quills and paper everywhere. Her inkbottle smashed against her feet, staining her sandals.  
  
"Peeves!" she sighed exasperated. "Give me my bag!"  
  
"Ooh!" he cackled. "Late for breakfast, are we? Well, don't want to miss that!" he held something behind his back. It turned out to be a bowl of Yorkshire pudding. He flung it at Hermione, who ducked just in time.  
  
"Peeves!" she yelled. She lunged at her bag, but Peeves yanked it away at the last moment.  
  
"Waddiwasi!" a voice yelled behind her. The cork of her bottle flew up in the air and shot itself at Peeves. Peeves flew away, yelling. Hermione turned around. Standing behind her was Draco Malfoy. She scowled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Draco shrugged. "Walking." He stared at her. Then, he bent down and scooped up some of her books. "Here." He thrusted them into her arms. She picked up her bag and placed them inside. Then, bent down to pick up all the rest of her things. Draco helped. When she had picked up everything, she looked at him coldly one more time.  
  
"Thanks." She muttered. She stalked off towards the Great Hall. Draco followed. Halfway down some stone stairs, she stopped. "Why are you following me?" She expected him to use his usual drawl, but she was totally unprepared for the answer he gave her.  
  
"You're cute." He shrugged. Hermione, thinking that he was just ridiculing her, rolled her eyes and stalked off.  
  
She reached the Gryffindor Table, and Malfoy went to his own. He sat by Pansy Parkinson, but didn't look too happy about it. She looked at him again. He thought she was cute? She cringed outside, but inside, she felt the strange warmth that she only reserved for Harry well up inside her. Did she like Draco Malfoy? "Of course you don't" she told herself. But she still dwelt on it so much that she didn't realize that she had put Pumpkin Juice in her oatmeal.  
  
"Uh, Hermione?" Hermione snapped out of her thoughts to see Ron looking at her porridge strangely. Here's the schedule..." he handed it to her. She grabbed it from him, and scanned it over.  
  
"Hmm. Today, double Potions with Slytherin." She turned to Ron, who looked at her as if she had just told him she would die in one hour. "What?" she asked.  
  
"You sound like that wouldn't be that bad..." Hermione shrugged. She looked at her bowl. "Can you pass me another bowl, Harry? I don't think I can eat out of this one."  
  
  
  
Professor Snape paced up and down between the rows in his cold, dungeon classroom. "We will be discussing and creating today, invisible ink potions and the methods in which you can create them so the only people who can read you message is you and your partner. Anyone else that reads them will only see gibberish. You will be working in pairs..." there was a murmuring of small cheers. "That I will assign." Everyone groaned. "Weasley and..." Ron looked at Harry hopefully. Snape smirked. "Parkinson." Ron's face fell. Parkinson moved near him, looking at him as if he was a flesh-eating slug. Snape continued. "Potter and Zabini." Snape smirked again.  
  
"Granger and..." Hermione buried her head in her arms, praying for the best. "Malfoy." Hermione looked up and scowled at Snape, though he didn't notice. He was busy partnering Neville with Millicent Bulstrode. Malfoy swaggered over to her cauldron, smirking slightly. He sat down next to her and she opened her book to the right page. Snape handed out ingredients and they now had to make an invisible ink potion.  
  
"Alright. Here." She thrusted some dead bees into Malfoy's hands. "Cut the wings off of these." She began muttering to herself as she crushed kneazle teeth into a powder. Draco looked up and stared at her, quite interested. She turned to him.  
  
"What?" she asked. This time, it had a little less edge on it.  
  
"Nothing" he smirked. Hermione turned back to her bowl.  
  
"You could at least be of help."  
  
"I'm taking the wing's off of dead bees. What more do you want?"  
  
Hermione shoved some dead caterpillars. "Chop each one of these up into ten equal pieces." She stirred in the kneazle powder.  
  
"Now...we add a strand of our hair each..." Hermione plucked one off of her head with a slight wince. She dropped it in the potion.  
  
They stirred in the ingredients one by one, and finally, they finished the potion. They were now supposed to write secret messages to each other, to prove that it worked.   
  
Hermione dipped her quill in and wrote on a small piece of parchment, "Guess it works, Malfoy." The words lingered for a moment, then sowly faded. She shoved it over to him. Malfoy gave Hermione his.  
  
She touched the tip of her wand to the paper. She muttered something under her breath, and the words sowly appeared in a circle around her wand. It had only one word on it: "Mudblood." Hermione looked over at Draco, who was grinning foolishly.  
  
  
  
  
  
Well? You like? If you've made it this far, please review, or else I'll hunt you down and sing a Hanson song on your front lawn very badly and everyone will say "Why didn't you review? You could have saved us all some torture!" And that'll make you feel guilty, now won't it? And everyone knows you hate to feel guilty...  
  
  
  



	2. Lunch, Confessions, and Giggles

  
  
Ok...thanks to all who reviewed (WINK WINK!!!) and thanks ever so much to FF.net who hasn't crashed on me for nearly two weeks!   
  


Chapter 2: Lunch, Confessions, and Giggles 

  
  
Hermione scurried off to lunch with Ron and Harry, leaving Draco behind in the dungeons. During lunch, they talked and chatted for a while. Chapter 2: Lunch, Confessions, and Giggles Hermione scurried off to lunch with Ron and Harry, leaving Draco behind in the dungeons. During lunch, they talked and chatted for a while.  
  
"So, what did you think about potions today?" Hermione asked her friends. "It was horrible!" Ron exclaimed.  
  
Hermione grinned evilly. "How is Pansy these days, anyways? Still her cheerful, beautiful self?" Ron gagged, making Harry snort into his Yorkshire pudding.  
  
"Really? I had quite a nice time with the invisible ink potions." Harry smiled. "Just think! We can write horrible notes about Malfoy and no one would be able to read them." Harry and Ron grinned devilishly. "Actually," Hermione flipped back a lock of the frizz that tried to pass as hair, "There is a way that one can find out what it says. It's called a reversing potion. You can see what the person did in the past, anywhere from a minute ago, to a decade ago. It takes at least five wizards and witches to perform, though." She added hastily, seeing the distraught look on the boys' face. They still stared at her. "If you're going to look at me like that, I might as well leave!" She got up to leave, and she was just nearing the stairs towards the Gryffindor Tower, when Ron caught up with her.  
  
"Hey, Hermione! Wait up!" he jogged up to her. "I need to talk to you." He muttered in her ear. They ducked into an unused classroom (Hermione was beginning to wonder if everything happened in an unused classroom). "What?" Hermione asked, annoyed to be delayed from the task at hand.  
  
Ron rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, Hermione. Remember that time back in our fifth year when I asked you on a date, and we were dating for about a month."  
  
Hermione smiled and blushed. In the end, they had decided that it was better to be friends after Ron had said that it felt like he was kissing his sister.  
  
"How could I forget, Ron?"  
  
"Well…" Ron's ears turned red. "I was…um…wondering if I…I mean…you would like to go out with…me…again…" He smiled meekly. Hermione's jaw dropped open in surprise.  
  
"Ron…I still think of you as a friend." Hermione knew of no other way to turn him down. "In fact…I have feelings for…Harry." She admitted. "I mean…I'm sure you'll be able to find another girl…I thought you liked Parivati?" she asked.  
  
"Well, I was just telling you that, because I was scared you'd go ballistic on me if I told you I still loved you."  
  
"Yeah, well…I might take you up on that offer, seeing as Harry's…occupied…"  
  
"Hey! Don't talk like that about my sister! She's not a slut!"  
  
"Yeah, well, try telling my heart that…" And Hermione departed the room.  
  
Hermione reached the Gryffindor Common Room without realizing where she was going. She climbed through the portrait hole and climbed the stairs to the dorm. She still had a little while before Herbology. She looked in the mirror and tried to tame her frizzy hair. It would never do as it was told. She remembered a shampoo that some muggles used that was supposed to "tame unnatural frizz that can eventually damage beautiful hair." Like it would ever work for her. Even if it did work, what boy in his right mind would even like Hermione, besides Ron? Maybe it was worth a try. She could ask her parents for a bottle of it for Christmas. That might work. She checked her watch. It was nearly 1:00, and she still needed to get her books. She started scurrying around her room, collecting things and shoving them in her bag. When she reached it, she reached over to grab her Herbology book from the top of her trunk, but it wasn't there. She panicked. She looked under her bed and in her wardrobe. She pushed all of her books off of the trunk and dug through there. It wasn't to be found. She yanked back the curtains on her bed. There it was. She breathed a sigh of relief. As she picked it up, she noticed a piece of paper lying underneath it. It was blank. Hermione, puzzled, pulled out her wand. She pointed it at the paper and muttered "Aparecium!" just to see what would happen. Slowly, words formed on the paper. Hermione gasped and dropped it as if it had stung her. On it were five words:  
  


_I will always love You._

  
  
  
  
The sun shone brightly on the emerald grass. The wind seemed to whistle merrily as it rushed through the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Professor Sprout declared that it was such a nice day that they should study the outdoors plants today instead of staying in the steamy greenhouses. They all filed outdoors into the large garden paddock. They studied the Gershroot plants and how their unnatural habits proved deadly to many other species of plants. Professor Sprout had tied them all of in one of the corners of the large garden with sharp-looking razor wire. She had explained that the plants were dangerous to humans as well as plants, as she pulled one off of Neville's finger. Later, Hermione Harry and Ron were walking back to the castle when Hermione's bag split open. The piece of paper that Hermione had discovered earlier was carried away towards the greenhouse by the wind. Unfortunately Lavender Brown and Parivati Patil were just emerging from the nearest greenhouse. Lavender spotted the paper and squealed when she snatched it up and read it. Hermione walked down towards them.  
  
"Can I have that back?" she asked slightly annoyed.  
  
"Ooh! Hermione! Do you have a boyfriend?" Parivati asked.  
  
"Look. I don't even know who it's from. I-"  
  
"Ah! A secret admirer!" Lavender and Parivati squealed. They started giggling. That must have set Hermione's nerves off because she snatched the paper away and stalked off without apologizing.  
  
When she reached Harry and Ron, they both looked puzzled. "What was that all about, Herm?"  
  
"Don't call me that, and I'll tell you later." At least Ron and Harry both had enough sense not to pursue the subject. They had the rest of the afternoon off. Hermione headed off to the library, as usual, and Ron and Harry went to play exploding snaps with Dean, Seamus, and Neville.  
  
When the boys reached the Gryffindor common room, they noticed that Lavender and Parivati were both more "giggly" (as Hermione would often put it) than usual. Parivati walked up to Ron looking very smug.  
  
"I know something you don't know!" she chanted like a little schoolgirl.  
  
"Really?" Ron asked with sarcasm. "Since when did you even know anything?"  
  
She tried hard not to look indignant. "Well, if you insist on knowing, Hermione's got a Secret Admirer!" she giggled and ran off.  
  
"What?" Seamus asked, looking up from the cards that had just exploded, singeing the tip of Dean's nose.  
  
"Since when did anyone like Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
"You know, I think if she were here, she wouldn't appreciate that." Dean pointed out. "Sorry...but still...I mean...Hermione?" Ron turned to Harry, who had suddenly gone silent. "Harry? Harry?" he waved a hand in front of Harry's face.  
  
"Oh..." he blushed. "Sorry Ron. I was thinking."  
  
"Hopefully not about my sister naked."  
  
"OH MY GOD, RON!" Seamus yelled. "I JUST GOT A VISUAL!" It was Ron's turn to turn bright red.   
  
"Hey! My sister's got a great body...I mean...um..." Ginny was staring at him from across the room, looking rather apoplectic. Instead of searching for an excuse, Ron jumped on Seamus, and the two boys began to wrestle across the Gryffindor common room. It only ended when Ron pinned Seamus with his face pushed into the rug on the other side of the room. Both boys were smiling. "Take those words back!" he hissed into Seamus' ear.  
  
"Never, Ron, and that tickled!" Ron looked slightly annoyed.  
  
"Hey, Harry! Come over and help me torture this booger!" there was silence. "Harry?"   
  
Harry was gone.  
  
"Ginny?" Ron turned to where his sister had been sitting.  
  
She was gone as well.  
  
"Crap!" Ron yelled. "They better not be doing what I think they're doing!" and he raced up the stairs to the dorms.  
  
  
  
  
So????? PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW NOW!!!!!! If you don't I'll stop writing FOREVER!!!!!! THat's right! No more love stories from Athanasia for you!  
  
  
  



	3. The Story at the Library

  
  
Chapter 3: The Story at the Library  
  
So far, it seemed as if the only place Hermione could get some decent work done was in the Library, and even then, it wasn't that easy. First of all, there was a class going on for the second years in there, and most of the tables were taken over by giggly, prissy girls, or hormone driven boys, or both, trying to do their best at looking busy.   
  
Secondly, Malfoy was there.  
  
Hermione managed to find a table over in the corner all to herself. She pulled out her book, Advanced Study of Muggles, and began to color code parts of the notes she had written about it. After all, final exams and O.W.L.S. were only nine months away. She would never write in a book. Firstly, it would give answers away to the next student who used it, and that would be just cheating, and secondly, that would be desecration. From her perch, Hermione had a good view of the checkout desk and the front door, so she was rather miffed when Malfoy came plodding through the door. His father stalked behind him closely. Malfoy walked up to the desk and cleared his throat.  
  
"Madam Pince?" he asked. Hermione couldn't see her because she was surrounded by books. "Do you have any more copies of _Monster Book of Monsters_? Mine seems to have gotten away." Draco's father glared at him, and, for the first time, Hermione noticed he was sporting a bandage on his left arm. She could only giggle at what had happened to the slimy git. Madam Pince gave a muffled reply and waved her arm back towards where Hermione was sitting. Hermione buried her head in the book, not wanting to be seen by the unsavory duo. They made their way back to the end of the library, and Draco started scanning the shelves for the book, while his father rambled on about a topic that they had undoubtedly been discussing before they entered the library.  
  
"...absolutely humiliating having that..._thing_ attach itself to my arm in front of all the Death Eaters. I am not sorry for blasting that thing into a million pages. Your mother was right (for once) in suggesting that I shouldn't buy you a new one. Why do you even like that class?"  
  
"The teacher-"  
  
"Ruffian!" Lucius muttered under his breath.  
  
"_Hagrid_ seems to enjoy working with the animals. I plan to be an animal caretaker myself after I graduate from this abominable school."  
  
"You dolt! You don't get glory or power from working with animals! You stupid, git!"  
  
"Wanker!" Draco hissed. Lucius turned bright red. "Draco! If I've said it once, I'll say it again..." Draco mocked his father by mouthing back the words behind his father's back. "Never, EVER be rude to your mother or me! That's how you'll be killed by the Dark Lord, and Hell knows that we want him to pass his powers onto you!"  
  
"Maybe I don't want his powers." Draco mimicked a whine.  
  
Lucius stared at his son as if he had just said he loved a Muggle. "You will kill people and you will like it!" Lucius said with all sincerity. Hermione couldn't help but stifle a giggle. It wasn't often that A parent said that to a child.  
  
Draco let out an exasperated sigh. There was just no arguing with his father. Draco had given up on calling him "Daddy" long ago. Now he just called him by "Lucius," seeing as their relationship was only held together by his mother. He poked through the books, and eventually he found what he had been looking for. There, hidden amongst the other books was an old, worn out, Monster Book of Monsters. It was snoring quietly, looking quite blissful in its slumber. Draco poked it. It didn't move. He poked it again. It opened one bleary eye out of instinct. Its eye had a milky-white film covering it.  
  
"Great." Muttered Draco to no one in particular. "A blind book." He poked it. "Come on, you're coming with me." The book turned on its side, and then turned right back around so its back was to Draco, then went back to sleep. Draco, exasperated, poked it again, a little harder. "I said, 'You're coming with me!'" The book turned around and snapped at thin air. Draco smirked. "Well. At least I'll have the upper hand." He picked up the book by its spine (it was still flailing, trying desperately to snap his hand off) and dropped it none-too-gently into his bag. He looked around. His father had gone off somewhere else. Draco snorted. It was just like his father to leave him all alone.  
  
"Is that the only thing you do around here, Malfoy?" Hermione called out from her corner. "Torture books?"  
  
Malfoy turned towards Hermione and was just about to say something, when his father materialized out of nowhere.  
  
"Who's that you're talking to, Draco?"  
  
Hermione crossed her arms haughtily. "My name is Her-" Draco slapped a hand over her mouth.  
  
"This is Millicent Bulstrode, Lucius." Draco shot Hermione a meaningful look. If his father ever met Hermione, alone like this, he'd kill her without a backward glance.  
  
Lucius' face broke out into what seemed like a pleasant smile. "Pleased to finally meet you, Millicent. Your father and Draco have told me so much about you."  
  
"Charmed, I'm sure." Hermione said without moving her barred teeth.  
  
Lucius continued. "For a second, there, I was beginning to think that you associated with mudbloods, Draco." Hermione's face tinged red. "Forgive me for saying so, dear." Lucius added hastily. He had heard about all of the feats of strength Millicent had accomplished, not realizing that the girl in front of him was actually the Hermione Granger who had beaten his son so many times in being the top of the class.  
  
"No offence taken." Hermione growled, still attempting to keep her winning smile, even though it was slipping rapidly.  
  
"I shall see you later Draco...Unless, that is you mange to stay in the school without failing!" Lucius stalked off.  
  
Once he was out of earshot, Hermione shot Draco a look. "What did you do that for?" she hissed, throwing a book in his arms. He managed to catch it, but it knocked the wind out of him.  
  
"Look, my father would have killed you without a second thought-" "I know that! But, why did you save me?" Draco was silent for a while. He gently placed the book on the table.  
  
"Once, when I was about five or six years old, I had a friend from the village nearby. He was a muggle. When my father found out, he captured him and made me torture him. I couldn't do it. I can still see his helpless eyes begging me for mercy today. When I finally broke down, my father killed him right in front of me." Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Your father killed your best friend?" she asked, horrified.  
  
Draco nodded. "Then, he told me something that I'll never forget." Hermione paled. "What?" she whispered.  
  
"Muggles are only toys for Wizards to play with." There was a very long pause. "That's why I can never love my family. For what they do to others. I...I used to try to act tough and I tried to please my father, but he could never be pleased. So...I eventually gave up...I couldn't bear to see another person die in front of me." Suddenly, Hermione felt a pang of guilty well up in her throat. All those times she's insulted him...slapped him...Hermione shook her head. What if this was a trap? Could Draco just be trying to humiliate her? But the story was so vivid, that she couldn't possibly not believe him. She wanted to trust him, but...  
  
"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.  
  
"I-It's not your fault...Hermione." This was the first time Draco had ever said her name without some spite to it. She looked up at him. His head hung forward, letting his blonde bangs hang in front of his face. His eyes looked saddened and tired, as if telling her the story drained his energy. He got up to leave. She reached out and caught him by his arm.  
  
"Draco." He turned around.  
  
"I'm sorry." She repeated. He walked off.  
  
  
  
You like? YEAH! REVIEW, or...or...I shall send...something over to destroy your beloved computer...maybe a troll, or an ogre, or THE HANSON BROTHERS, AND THEN THEY'LL SING!!!!!!!! (MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)  
  
  
  



	4. Nostradamus

  
  


Chapter 4: Nostradamus 

  
  
It was another blurry, rainy Thursday. A Thursday so sleepy and fuzzy, that you felt you could wrap yourself up in it and sleep peacefully forever. It didn't help that Hermione was in Professor Binn's class, trying to pay attention to the lesson. Her gaze flew from the window, to Harry, to the chalkboard, back to Harry, to her book, and then to Draco. She sighed.  
  
It was a shame that Draco had a family like his. Bad blood runs in families. When she first saw him on _The Hogwarts Express_, she thought he would be as sweet as he was handsome, but apparently that bad blood ran to the surface. She scribbled down a date that Professor Binn's had muttered. It was probably important, but she didn't want to bother herself with the energy.  
  
"Nostradamus was a wizard that has been reported to live in the 1500s AD. He had the gift of insight, and was able to see _clearly_ into the future." Hermione stifled a small giggle, thinking about Professor Trelawney and her bug's eyes. "Even though his was a precious gift, he was too open about it in public, and some say that he devoted his time to the Dark Arts. Today, we call a person who _truly_ has this gift as a 'Nostradamus.'"  
  
What a surprise. Hermione thought sarcastically. Her eyes drooped more and more, until, she finally dozed off...  
  
_Dream Sequence _  
  
Harry and Ron were sitting at the table.  
  
"So, what did you think about potions today?" The girl sitting across from them asked.  
  
_Where am I?  
  
_"It was horrible!" Ron exclaimed. The girl grinned evilly. "How is Pansy these days, anyways? Still her cheerful, beautiful self?" Ron gagged, making Harry snort into his Yorkshire pudding.  
  
"Really? I had quite a nice time with the invisible ink potions." Harry smiled. "Just think! We can write horrible notes about Malfoy and no one would be able to read them." Harry and Ron grinned devilishly.  
  
_What is this? _"Actually," The girl flipped back a lock of the frizz that tried to pass as hair, "There is a way that one can find out what it says. It's called a reversing potion. You can see what the person did in the past, anywhere from a minute ago, to a decade ago. It takes at least five wizards and witches to perform, though." She added hastily, seeing the distraught look on the boys' face. They still stared at her. "If you're going to look at me like that, I might as well leave!" The girl got up and left the room.  
  
"Well, Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
_What's going on? _"Go ask her!" Harry motioned with his hand. Ron left...a few minutes passed, while Harry fidgeted with the food on his half-empty plate. Ron returned after several minutes.  
  
"Well?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yep. You were right. She loves you."  
  
"Really?" Harry asked.  
  
_What the heck is going on, here?   
  
_"What'd you tell her?"  
  
"I just made up some story that I was still in love with her."  
  
_WHAT?  
  
_"Cool." Harry sighed and placed his head on his arm. "What am I going to do? I love both of them, but...I just don't know what to do." Harry rested his head on the table with a loud THUNK!  
  
_Oh my god...  
  
_"Hey! What's that git doing?" Ron nodded towards Draco who was walking up towards the Gryffindor Tower. He looked over at Harry, who was busy writing something down on a piece of paper. He dipped his quill in a bottle that looked like it had nothing in it. Hermione couldn't tell what it said, but the words disappeared after a while.  
  
"I don't care." Harry watched without interest.  
  
"Miss Ginger?"  
  
"How do I tell her, Ron?" Harry looked forlorn at his friend.  
  
"Miss...James?"  
  
"I don't know, Harry, but don't do or say anything stupid."  
  
"MISS Granger!"  
  
Hermione sat up. "What?" she blinked the sleepiness away.  
  
"I'm glad you're back with us in the real world, Miss Ginger." He glided back to the front of the room. The Slytherin part of the class laughed. Ron coughed away what seemed to be a snort.   
  
"Granger." Hermione muttered under her breath. She turned back into the note-taking freak that she had always been, and by the end of class, had gotten a good three-and-a-half pages on the Goblin Rebellions (again. Each year they studied the Goblin Rebellions to some extent. Why should this year be unlike the others?)   
  
Once they had gotten to the common room after dinner, Hermione tried to concentrate on her Transfiguration homework, but found that she was drifting off back to the dream. What did it all mean? The only time her intuition (that's what she called it) flared up like this was when something was terribly amiss. It's only been this strong once before. Once, when she was eleven, she had a wonderful dream that something important was coming to change her life. It was frightening, yet invigorating at the same time. An owl came to her, delivering important news, but then her parents began to fight and nearly divorced. That was what happened.   
  
Several weeks later, she got the letter from Hogwarts. Her father was so pleased for her, that he bought her several extra books that she wanted to read, but her mother wouldn't stand for it. She couldn't bear to let Hermione out of her sight. Hermione's mother was sometimes overprotective like that. They argued and argued until finally, her mother submitted. It had been one of the most exciting, yet hellish times of her life.  
  
Now, that was exactly what Hermione was feeling...again. The thrill of Harry loving her and the betrayal of him and Ron lying to her was mixed into a large mass of confusion lodged in her throat. She traced her finger over the words on the paper that she had kept.  
  
_ I will always love you.  
  
_ Was it from Harry or Draco?  
  
Harry?  
  
Or Draco?  
  
  
  
  
  
Well? You know the drill! The threat this time is NOT The Hanson Brothers again, though, so you can relax. It is...um...err...a really cracked out game called Spyro The Dragon...It's a cool game, don't get me wrong, but man...is it cracked out...REVIEW!!!!!!!!! Or I'll send Spyro to kill you!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Have a Nice Day!  
  
  
  



	5. The Fight

  
  
Chapter 5: The Fight  
  
"Hermione…" Ron walked up to her chair. Hermione sat up.  
  
"Look, Ron…we need to talk." Hermione had to know. She was going to ask. Now. She led him over to an empty corner and turned to face him.  
  
"Ron." She sighed. "I need to know something…" She rubbed the side of her head. "I had this dream…that said that you lied to me…you and Harry were trying to get me to confess that I love him, and I can't shake off the feeling that…" She stopped at the look on Ron's face. He was wide-eyed in horror.  
  
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Hermione, we…um…did…kinda manipulate you, and we, well, I…" Hermione's face turned bright red in fury.  
  
Harry walked up the stairs towards the Gryffindor Common Room, when he bumped (quite literally) into Draco. Harry glared at his longtime enemy.  
  
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Harry snapped coldly. Malfoy stood up and brushed dirt off of his arms.  
  
"Well, if you must know, I was going to see your little mudblood friend."  
  
"Speaking of which," Harry snarled. "What about her interests the likes of you?"  
  
"Aww…widdle Harry getting jealous?" Draco mocked. He crossed his arms and smirked. "Face it, Harry. She's beginning to like me, and there's nothing you can do about it."  
  
Harry's eyes slanted dangerously. "Hermione would never like scum like you."  
  
"Oh! I'm hurt!" Draco mocked a fake faint. Harry was just about to leap at Malfoy's throat, when Professor McGonagall stepped quietly down the stairs.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Potter!" she snapped. "What on earth are you doing in the halls? Mr. Malfoy, what are you doing near Gryffindor? Slytherin is on the other side of the castle." She stared at him down her nose until he finally grumbled and pushed past Harry to go towards Slytherin. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry. "And what were you doing with your wand out, Mr. Potter?" Harry searched for a logical answer, but couldn't find one. "Go back to Gryffindor Tower with a warning, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall snapped. She turned and padded back up the stairs. After a moment, Harry turned and followed.  
  
"Pork Chops" Harry muttered, and the portrait swung open. He walked in, once again, to find Hermione and Ron being surrounded by a ring of people, but instead of Hermione and Ron arguing, Hermione was sitting on top of Ron, beating his face in.  
  
  
  
Hermione was angry. Actually…that's putting it rather understated. Hermione was murderous. She could have killed anyone on that spot if they annoyed, touched or even talked to her. Ron recognized this and backed off. But the movement he made caused her to explode.  
  
"What am I? A thing? An object you can just take advantage of?" She screamed at the top of her voice. Ron backed away towards the wall. Hermione followed. "Do I not have feelings? Am I not a human being or something? I can't believe you!" her eyes were bloodshot and as big as a house-elf's. Veins began to pop out of her neck and temples. She looked like a raging bull ready to charge.  
  
"Well…I…" Ron meekly tried to respond, but Hermione was beyond reasoning. She wanted to end the torture that every person in this room tried to give her. She wanted to end them messing with her feelings and brains. She leapt at Ron.  
  
Ron, completely taken by surprise of Hermione's latest action fell under her weight. She punched him hard in the face. The crunch of his nose felt good under her throbbing knuckles. She could have stopped right there, but she didn't. She was driven completely insane by the sight of the blood pouring out of Ron's nose that she began to pound down even more. That was when Harry walked in. He took one look at the crowd and at Hermione, then ran over to the fighting pair and pulled Hermione off Ron.  
  
"Ron!" He yelled. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Why do girls hit so hard?" Ron moaned through a face full of blood. Harry looked over at Hermione, who was looking horrified at what she did.  
  
"Come, on, Ron. Let's get you to the infirmary." He looked at Hermione again, who was mouthing speechless words. He gently helped Ron up and walked out with him. The crowd looked at Hermione. She said nothing and walked out.  
  
Instead of following the others, Hermione went down and decided that before she was expelled, she would try to look at her last books from the wizard's world. She sat down at a table in the back, and pulled out a book. She propped it on its side, then buried her face behind it and wept.  
  
She cried for a very long time, and was beginning to think that she was all alone when she heard a voice behind her.  
  
"What's the matter, mudblood?" Hermione turned around quickly and wiped her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" She snapped back. He sat on the table behind her, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his face.  
  
"You liked it, didn't you?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" She glared at him.  
  
"You liked hitting him, didn't you?" he repeated. She set her jaw. He got up and walked over to her.  
  
"You liked the feel of flesh hitting flesh under knuckles, didn't you? You liked seeing the blood ooze out of his nose. You liked the terror in his eyes-"  
  
"ALRIGHT!" Hermione yelled. "That's enough!" she spat at him.  
  
"This is what it feels like mudblood. That Adrenaline rush just pumps through your body." He hissed.  
  
"Stop it!" she yelled, covering her ears.  
  
"The thrill of the hunt, the smell of blood at your nose, the excitement of death at your fingertips, at your mercy-"  
  
"Enough!" she screamed and pushed him away.  
  
Draco stumbled, and then shot her a dark look. "Better be careful, mudblood! You don't want two deaths on your hands!"  
  
Hermione's eyes widened. "You know Malfoy." She breathed through her teeth. "I thought you could change. I really did, and I was foolish enough to believe it. But you're not any different from your father!" she screamed. She turned around to storm off, when she ran into Professor Snape.  
  
"Come with me, Miss Granger." He said, coldly, a smile playing on his thin lips.  
  
  
  
"Well, you're very lucky that she didn't pound your face into your head, Mr. Weasley." Madam Pomfrey was quickly stirring a potion that would help mend his broken nose (noses are quite different from the rest of your body, and special potions are needed in their mending). "Hermione's quite strong for her age, and it's not every day when someone can break a nose with only one punch." She placed her hands on her hips. "You shouldn't have teased her. Heaven knows that girl has way too much on her mind."  
  
"We didn't teabe her!" Ron said through the tissue that he was holding to keep the blood from flowing. "Then what did you say to her? It must have been something horrible for her to snap like that. I mean-" She was cut off by Professor Dumbledore walking into the room. He took one look at Ron and Harry and his face broke out into a warm smile. He shook his head.  
  
"Poppy, could you please excuse the boys and me?" He smiled. She nodded and walked into the adjacent room. The headmaster sat down on a nearby chair. "Now, Ron, Harry." He looked at each of the boys. "What happened?" He gave the boys a look that made them feel as if he were omniscient and already knew, and they better not lie.  
  
Harry sighed. "We…well…you already know, professor."  
  
"Yes, Harry, I do." His voice was quiet. "You shouldn't have abused Miss Granger like that. She is a very delicate girl." Ron snorted, ending up with blood squirting all over his tissue. Dumbledore smiled a bit. The door creaked open, and in walked Professor Snape leading a meek and quiet Hermione. He watched her as she sat down, and then departed the room. Professor Dumbledore watched them quietly.  
  
"I think," he broke the heavy silence, "that friendships should not be ruined by affairs of the heart." He gazed from one to another. He got up to leave, but Hermione stopped him.  
  
"Please, sir. Will I be expelled?" She hesitated a bit.   
  
Professor Dumbledore turned around and smiled. "Hearts are confusing things, Hermione. Since not even I can understand my own, I have a feeling that no one else does and can control them. You certainly cannot imagine the depth of your heart, and therefore, I cannot expect you to have control over this sort of thing." With those words, he left the room. Madam Pomfrey bustled in and pushed Hermione and Harry out the door. She said her patient needed rest, because his nose needed very painful recovering. Harry and Hermione stood in the hall, not daring to say anything to the other. "Hermione…" Harry said, softly. Hermione looked down at her feet.  
  
"Yes?" she asked. She was ashamed for having lost control. All she could see was, well, red. She felt a tinge of flush creep across her face as Harry place a hand on her cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry." He whispered. "The truth is…" he continued. "That I really do…" Hermione lifted her gaze into his eyes. Harry blushed a bit, smiling. He leaned closer to Hermione, and opened his mouth.  
  
"Hey! Harry!" Ginny's voice echoed in the empty hall. "Where's Ron?" she asked, jogging up. Harry and Hermione sprang apart from each other instantly.  
  
"No, I didn't see an eyelash in your eye, Herm." Harry said quickly.  
  
"Don't call me that." Hermione replied, scowling.  
  
Ginny giggled a bit. "Hey, Hermione. I heard what happened, and I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok. It really wasn't your fault that your brother was stupid."  
  
"No. I'm not saying it's my fault, I'm just saying that I'm sorry my parents gave him the stupid genes!" Ginny burst out laughing.  
  
"He's in there." Harry waved behind him with a smile on his face. Ginny threaded her arm through Harry's elbow, and together, they walked through the door.   
  
Hermione watched them go, her arms crossed, and her face tight. How dare he? How dare he act like nothing just happened? She stalked off, sourly, through the empty corridor. As she walked, she could hear her footsteps echo on the stone floor. She stopped a bit to dry the tears that were now streaming down her face.  
  
The footsteps didn't stop.  
  
Someone was following her. She continued and walked, faster down the hall. The footsteps hurried after her. She broke into a run. The footsteps did the same. They started getting louder and louder. Suddenly, something heavy came crashing down on Hermione's legs. She tried to scramble out from underneath the weight, but it held her firmly down. Something, sounding like a glass bottle, fell on the floor. It didn't break, but made a loud clattering noise.  
  
"Listen to me, Mudblood!" It was Draco. He turned her over, so she was looking directly into his eyes. "What you said back in the library wasn't true!" he said, panting. Hermione was pleased to see that her little run had taken the wind out of him. "I will never be my father! I refuse to be like him! You don't know what it's like! Having him yell at me all the time, for not being perfect, for not being like you. You don't know what it's like, seeing him beat you, your mother-" he broke off, as if the thought pained him. "I will never be him!" Draco snarled into her face. By that time Hermione had been able to push him away, though not off her. He sat on her legs, tears threatening to come down. Once again, Hermione felt the warmth well up in her iced-over heart. She was able to sit up, now, and, as she reached out to touch his cheek, she spoke.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco." He swatted her hand away.  
  
"You don't know what I've been through." He spat. They sat for a while in the dark hall, each one not daring to say a word. Soon, Draco got up, and left Hermione sitting in the darkness. Hermione reached out to brace herself as she got up, and her hand came into contact with something cold, and smooth, unlike the stone of the floor. Curious, she got up, and fingered the glass in her hand. In the light of a torch, she found it to be a bottle of invisible ink.  
  
  
  
  
  
Okeys! Sorry it took so long! I had soooooo many midterms, I started to go insane (started?). Anyways, I;ve about run out of threats to make you review. I was going to threaten you with nsync or something like that, but then, I realized that some of you might not veiw that as punishment, so now, as a kneebreaker, I am going to send.........ME!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes! The Lady Athanasia Live and in person to bash your face in for not reviewing! HA! Try to stop me from finding you! I know where you live! I know ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!........Yeah, I'm getting kinda tired, so review...  
  
  
  



	6. The Capture

  
  
Chapter 6: The Capture  
  
Hermione studied the glass bottle. It felt smooth and soft in her hand. She was sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. No one else was around, being nearly midnight. The bottle reminded her of one of the popular muggle drinks; a soda. It was a long necked bottle, containing about one half of a litre of the almost-invisible liquid. Careful as to not spill a drop (invisible ink stains on clothes, and can look rather odd), she screwed open the cap and dipped a quill in it. Then, using the parchment on her lap, she wrote.  
  
"Herm?" Harry yawned, coming down the stairs. "Our door was open, and I was wondering if it was you who-" he trailed off, seeing that there was no one else in the room. Noticing a sheet of paper on one of the chairs, he walked over towards the fireplace. He picked it up and turned it over, but there was nothing on it. He plodded back up to his room and found his wand on the bedstand.  
  
"Aparecium!" he whispered. Slowly, as if an invisible hand were writing the words on the paper appeared:  
  
_I'm in the Library. We need to talk.  
  
~ Hermione  
  
_ Hermione padded softly down the stone steps leading to the dungeon. She nearly ran into professor McGonagall as she crept down the silent halls. Soon, she came to a place that she knew only from her favorite book: Hogwarts: A History. Slowly, she focused all her energy on all of the nasty words that the password could be.  
  
"Mudblood." She whispered. The concealed door didn't move. Hermione knew that no one could see her. She had Harry's invisibility cloak. But, she didn't want to be caught out in the open, just in case. "Pureblood." Again, nothing. "Slytherin, Salazar, Basilisk, Terror, Snake, Muggle, _Deatheater!_" the last one she nearly yelled. Suddenly, the door swung silently open, and Hermione's heart leapt to her throat. Standing in the doorway was Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What is it, Drake?" a boy behind him asked. He closely resembled a rat, and had a snobbish look on his face. Hermione backed up against the wall, her blood rushing through her ear.  
  
"I'm not sure, Zabini, and stop calling me that." As Draco turned to walk back into the Slytherin Common Room, Hermione slipped in behind him. She stood right be the entrance.  
  
"What did you hear?" Zabini asked.  
  
"I don't know...something." Draco stared into the fire that seemed to give no warmth to the stone room.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You were saying..."  
  
"Right. Look, Zabini, you have to promise me that you will not tell another soul what I am about to tell you."  
  
"Oh my god! You're not gay, are you?" Zabini looked at Draco as if he turned into a Hungarian Horntail.  
  
"No!" Draco spat. "Look. My father is planning something. He has been adding to the cells below our estate. He's been talking about 'weeding the weak out.' I think he's going to...to take all of the mudbloods out of Hogwarts. Even the halflings."  
  
"Really?" Zabini asked with mock interest.  
  
"No, really! He's going to torture and kill all of them, including Hermione!"  
  
Hermione's hand flew to her throat, but she made no noise.  
  
"Man! And just when you were starting to like her, and she like you." Zabini bit his lip, and Hermione paled under the cloak. The two Slytherins sat in silence, then, after what seemed like hours, Zabini left to the dorms, leaving Draco to sit at the fire. Hermione started forwards. She felt a pull at the cloak, and it slipped off of her shoulders. It was caught in the door. Draco heard her gasp of surprise and stared at her for a second.  
  
"Hermione!" he half-yelled.  
  
"Hi, Draco." She gave a slight smile. She started to take a step towards him, but he ran quickly towards her, and scooped her into his arms. He held her arms firmly down on her sides.  
  
"What exactly did you hear?" Draco's voice held a slight panicked note to it.  
  
"Draco, please." Hermione tried to back out of his uncomfortable grip, but his eyes held her in thrall. His eyes were wide in horror, and his cold gray eyes were alert and bloodshot. He looked like an insane patient.  
  
He managed to calm himself down a bit by breathing deeply. His breath smelled like tea, and...something else she couldn't put her finger on. "You probably heard everything, didn't you?" he said, his head drooping Hermione nodded, and Draco released her from his grip. He slowly walked back to the chair and covered his face with his hands.  
  
"Oh, God." He muttered, his words muffled by his hands. Hermione sat down next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Draco, don't worry. I can look after myself. I can...stay away from your...father." She sighed. Staying away from Lucius Malfoy meant staying away from Draco, who was just starting to intrigue her. He shrugged her hand off.  
  
"It's...not that..." Draco muttered.  
  
"What? You have feelings for me?" Hermione laughed a bit. "I have feelings for you, too, Draco." She admitted. She drew a sharp breath, realizing what she had just said. Draco heard her sharp intake of breath, and turned to her. He held her face in his hands, and pulled her closer. "Draco?" she whispered. "What...what are you doing?" "Shh..." Draco shushed her. Their lips were just about to meet, when a voice, cold as the frozen sky, ripped through the air.  
  
"Well. This is how my son treats me." It hissed. Draco dropped Hermione's face, and turned about wildly. She stared far behind Draco, towards the dorm end of the room. There, standing in flowing, black robes, was Lucius Malfoy. Draco charged at his father.  
  
Lucius hissed something inaudible to Hermione's ears. Draco hung, suspended in the air. His arms were snapped by his sides, and his legs jack-knifed under him. It looked as if he were kneeling towards Lucius. "This is what I get for keeping you alive, you worthless, sniveling, toad!" he hissed. A jet of red light swirled out of Lucius' wand and formed a sphere around Draco, stunning the petrified Hermione. She moved to run, but she stumbled against a nearby table.  
  
"Ah." Lucius hissed, as if seeing her for the first time. "Milicent Bulstrode. Or," he added with a glance at his son, "Hermione Granger, hmm?" he smirked slightly. It was more than Hermione could bear. The hatred in his eyes...  
  
"Which one is it, girl?" he glared at her with pure malevolence and spite.  
  
"Hermione." She gasped. She reached for her wand in her back pocket, but she wasn't quick enough. He pointed his wand at her and hissed with lightning speed.   
  
Hermione felt as if she were falling through the darkest of black. The tunnel got longer and longer. She looked back up at the entrance, and she saw Draco, reaching for her.  
  
  
  
REVIEW-BLAH!!!!!  
  



	7. Home, Sweet, Home

  
  
I am so terribly sorry for not getting this out sooner, but please be patient with me. I have a lot on my mind...LIKE THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Chapter 7: Home, Sweet, Home  
  
Harry padded softly down the halls of the school. What did Hermione want? The thought buzzed through his mind. That plus the fact that his invisibility cloak was gone. He assumed that Ron had borrowed it and forgotten to return it again. He was taking extra care not to tread too noisily, or else he would be discovered. He was nearing the side of the school on which the Dungeons were, but stopped shortly. He saw a figure moving about in the shadows.  
  
It was Lucius Malfoy! Ever since his alliance with Lord Voldemort, he was not allowed on school grounds. What was he doing here? Then, Harry saw two figures, suspended in midair, floating behind him. It was Draco, who looked as if he were frozen, but very much awake, and the other...was Hermione! She was curled up into a tiny ball, her face covered in sleep powder.  
  
Harry nearly cried out, but stopped himself. Lucius and Draco both whipped their heads in his direction. Lucius did not see anything and continued on, but Draco's eyes lingered on the very spot Harry stood. They seemed to cry out for his help, but he did not say anything. Harry doubted that he could. Slowly, after they had all passed through the great double doors without a sound, Harry turned and bolted back towards Gryffindor Tower.  
  
He darted through the portrait hole and through the now dimly lit Common Room. He was about to reach the door to the tower, when a sad voice reached him from in front of the fading fire.  
  
"I know where you've been, Harry Potter." The voice said, it's figure rising. Through the firelight, Harry could see a tangle of fire red hair, and tears in the sad, brown eyes.  
  
"Ginny?" he asked incredulously. He started towards her, but she drew away.  
  
"You've been going to see her, haven't you?"  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Ginny, but this is an emergency, Hermione-" He was cut off by Ginny's angry words.  
  
"That's exactly who I'm talking about, Harry! _Hermione_!" she nearly screamed. "I've seen you watching her! I've seen you sneak off to be with her!"  
  
"That's not it!" Harry screamed. "I...I..." Harry searched frantically for an answer.  
  
"You only think about you Harry Potter! I can't believe you! I saw you watch Draco and Hermione in the library the other day! I saw the way your fists clenched. I've seen the way you look at Hermione! It's the same way I used to look at you!" she spat. Harry didn't say anything, his mouth hung open. Ginny burst into tears.  
  
"We're through!" she said through her tears. The light of a candle lit the room somewhat.  
  
"Harry? Ginny? What's going on?" Ron asked from the top of the stairs. Ginny pushed past Harry and made her way towards the girl's dorm.  
  
"Nothing" she mumbled.  
  
"But Gin, I heard-"  
  
"Nothing!" she hissed. She stopped at the top of the stairs and shot Harry a hurt, dangerous look. She disappeared through the heavy oak door.  
  
Ron came down the stairs, and set the candle on a nearby table. "Harry." Ron sighed through a slight smirk. "You were never good with women, were you?"  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Then, Harry realized why he had run back up here.  
  
"Ron!" he yelled, gripping his friend's shoulders. "Lucius Malfoy! He took them! Hermione! Draco!" He yelled hysterically.  
  
"Uh-huh. And tell me, Harry, did Lucius resemble close to a twelve foot mountain troll?"  
  
"He normally looks like that. Or at least he's that stupid." Harry replied. "Seriously, Ron! He took them!" Without waiting for a reply from Ron, Harry grabbed his arm and sprinted out the door. It was all Ron could do to stop form being dragged along on his face.  
  
  
  
_Where am I?_  
  
"Now, Lucius. Let's not do anything...drastic..." a warm voice sounded from far off. Hermoine was sitting in a large room. It was cluttered with papers, books, and several portraits of old, wise looking witches and wizards. A man in his mid fifties was the source of the voice. He had a long, brown beard that was streaked with white of age. He continued. "I know you don't like that Potter boy, but..."  
  
"Don't like! I despise-" the boy said with a sneering tone. He was cut off by the elder man.  
  
"Just a minute, young man!" the elder man pounded his face on his desk, much to the surprise of the 16-year old boy in front of him. Hermione was standing behind the boy, and was sure the other two couldn't see her. She realized who the elder man was...  
  
_Is that Professor Dumbledore?_  
  
"I will not tolerate that kind of attitude when I am being spoken to. Is it too much that I ask for some respect when I am talking to my students?" Younger Dumbledore's eyes flashed behind his half-moon glasses. He calmed down a bit. "Now, explain to me why young felt it necessary to turn James' ears into a rabbit's."  
  
"I would have turned him into a whole rabbit if you-"  
  
"Young man!" Dumbledore warned. Lucius glared at him.  
  
"One of these days, I'm going to be headmaster and then this school will belong to Voldemort!"  
  
"Is that so?" Dumbledore asked quietly. There was something that held Hermione in awe and fear of him in his voice. She trembled slightly.  
  
"You wouldn't understand, old man." Lucius said with a mock bow and a smirk. "You wouldn't understand if your worst enemy stole the heart of the girl you loved."  
  
"Tell me something I don't know." The old man whispered, a slight smile playing his face. "And who might that be?" Dumbledore said, placing his hands upon his desk.  
  
"Narcissa Whitman."  
  
"Ah. Miss Whitman. I have seen plenty a young man fall for such a pretty face." He beamed. "Now, for the Yule ball, please don't bother them. We don't want rabbits running rampant all over the place. Unless Professor Gruesman can turn them all into slippers again." He smiled at his own joke. Lucius did nothing but scowled hard at the aging headmaster. Dumbledore's smile quickly faded away. "Now, for your detention, I suggest at least one week academic probation, the relenting of two Hogsmeades visits and three days with Mr. Filch." Lucius' mouth dropped open.  
  
"When my father hears about this-"  
  
"He will say 'It builds character, Lucius.' Now, go on." Dumbledore waved him out of the room.  
  
Once he was gone, Dumbledore sighed and leaned back in the aged chair. "I'm not as young as I used to be." He sighed. Then, he continued on working on the papers in front of him. Hermione leaned forward.  
  
_Wow. He's so young. He's aged so much. Not so much physically, either. I've never seen such spark in his eyes._  
  
Suddenly, as if he could feel her presence, he looked up and straight into Hermione's eyes. Hermione, finding this unnerving, backed away, slipped through the half-open door and continued down the stairs. She found Lucius at the bottom, talking with a young boy who looked very familiar.  
  
"What did the ole git want?" his sour face was contorted into a look of utter disdain and hatred as he spoke of Dumbledore.  
  
"Nothing, Snape." Lucius spat. "I have to spend three days with Filch."  
  
"Disgusting! You have to go work with the servants." Suddenly, as if beckoned by mentioning his name, Filch's face materialized in the darkness.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy. I hear I have a new assistant for the next three days." Hermione gasped at the sight of the caretaker. He was still as old and wrinkled as he was in the present. Lucius and Snape backed away from him, as if he were a flesh-eating slug.  
  
They turned and ran through the corridor, Hermione hurried to catch up. Suddenly, the other two ran into a young boy and girl. The boy was nearly six feet tall, with a handsome face and smooth, slicked-back black hair. His arm was around a beautiful girl with white-blond hair. Malfoy picked himself up and dusted off his arms. The newcomers scowled at him.  
  
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" The boy scowled.  
  
"Hello, Black." Lucius spat. He turned to the girl and smiled somewhat charmingly. "Good evening, Narcissa." He bowed a bit.  
  
"I thought I told you to stay away from me!" The girl twitched slightly in Sirius' arm.  
  
"Why, Narcissa, surely you mustn't truly mean that..."  
  
"She said back off!" Sirius growled, grabbing Malfoy's collar. Snape yanked out his wand.  
  
"That will be quite enough, all of you!" There, standing in the light of the nearest torch was Lily, Harry's mother. She looked radiant, standing there, the light bouncing of her already Fire-Red hair.  
  
"What are you doing here, Lily?" Snape snarled.  
  
"If you must know, I was conducting a séance."  
  
"Stupid Necromancer!" Malfoy glared. She returned his glare.  
  
"And just how many students are supposed to be out after hours!" a voice from behind Malfoy and Snape caused them all to jump and turn in that direction.  
  
Hermione strained her eyes in the gathering darkness, but gave up soon. A white mist seemed to envelop her, it felt as if she were floating, high above the ground, without any care in the world. Then, she landed on a firm, but hardly visible piece of land. She came to another scene in the past.  
  
  
  
"Absolutely unacceptable, Draco!" a voice was saying. It seemed as if it were far away. It gradually got louder and louder. Soon, the mist rose, and Hermione could see Lucius Malfoy leading Draco by the ear. Hermione guessed that this was only a few months ago, seeing as Draco still looked the same as he always did. "I can't believe it! Mingling with common _muggles_! Your mother has been worried sick, not knowing where you were."  
  
"Oh, don't loose your blub, dad!" Draco struggled against Lucius' grasp, but apparently, it was vice-like. At his words, Lucius stopped, turned, and stared at Draco, looking absolutely outraged.  
  
"How dare you talk to me in that tone! Just wait until your mother gets a hold of you!" Now, Lucius was dragging Draco behind.  
  
"What does that matter?" Draco retorted. "At least she loves me. You don't even care what happens to either of us. The only time you were actually pleased that I walked the earth was when Voldemort announced that he would pass his powers unto me!" Draco was able to get away from his father. He straightened himself up and marched with some dignity into the house.   
  
Lucius turned to a figure in the dark and motioned it forwards. Hermione's eyes widened when she saw it was a creature of the darkness. A creature that had no name, so horrible were the deeds that it did in the darkest nights. It was a creature of hell, a daemon. Hermione's eyes widened even more when she realized what the creature was carrying.  
  
_It was her._  
  
Her phantom backed away. She screamed out loud to try to wake herself up, but the scream went unheard. Suddenly, the daemon looked right at her. It started towards her phantom, and Hermione froze with fear. Suddenly, Lucius said something in the creature's language, and the creature turned back to its original destination.  
  
Draco approached the door and whispered the words "_Calamath No'th dthaladmo_" Hermione realized that they were some sort of magic. They words flowed out of Draco's mouth like a sliver sheen that wrapped around Hermione's heart, warming it back to life. She moved quickly towards the door, but she bumped into Lucius. Lucius passed right through her.  
  
_Well, at least this out-of-body experience has some benefits. She thought grimly._  
  
Suddenly, she saw a woman with long, silvery hair and beautiful features rise from the hearth near the end of the Great Hall. "Draco!" she cried shrilly. She ran towards him, but Lucius waved his hand, and a iridescent box enclosed her. She banged against the sides. "Let me out, Lucius! Let me see my son!" she screamed. Lucius looked at her with utter disgust.   
  
He smirked at her. "We'll 'talk' later, dearest wife." He drawled. Narcissa's eyes widened and she backed away from him, bumping into the box, here eyes pleading.  
  
"Kalath!" he snapped. The daemon stepped forwards. "Take these two to the dungeon" he motioned to Hermione and Draco. Then, he walked over towards Narcissa's box. She fell over, free from the invisible prison, and she tried to rise. The last thing Hermione saw before she blacked out, was Lucius pounding his fist into her face. The last thing she heard were her cries for mercy.  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Pursuit!

Ok, ok...I know...I've been a lazy bum, and stupid for not have gotten this out sooner...I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll make it up to you...somehow...  
  
Chapter 8: Pursuit!  
  
Hermione sat, quietly, ever so quietly in between the cold, callous walls of the Malfoy dungeon. She shivered like the air. Earlier, when she had yelled, they had come back. They were awful, dark specters, floating in the darkness. Hermione knew them to be ghosts with no souls. They were black as the air around her and as icy as the walls. The only defined shape they had were eyes. Hermione preferred the daemon better than the two specters that guarded her cell.   
  
She sobbed, curled up with her head resting on her head. She quietly rocked back and forth. Harry had often teased her about this position. He said it looked as if she was a basketball. Hermione closed her eyes in pain. It hurt to think about Harry.   
  
There was no window in her cell, no light from the outside. The specters needed no light to see. She could tell if it was night or day. She had no idea how long she had been there. She buried her face in her arms and, silently, tears began to descend down her face.  
  
"Damn you, Malfoy." She thought bitterly.  
  
"Hermione?" a voice, silent as the specters drifted down from another cell. She couldn't tell how far away it was because the narrow corridor warped the sound a bit. She recognized the voice.  
  
"Draco?" She ran to the heavy oak door. She shouted through it. "Draco, is that you?" Remembering the specters, she backed up quickly, but they didn't drift through dramatically through the walls, like last time. She hesitantly returned to the door.  
  
"Hermione!" she heard the light clanking of metal and the sound of something being thrust into the keyhole. The door swung, silently, out into the hall. Standing in the doorframe, silhouetted by the torch he held was Draco Malfoy.  
  
Albus quietly walked the halls of his magnificent school. His august purple robes swept the stone floors as he padded softly across the great hall. He folded his arms inside his robes. He smiled to himself. His students were safe, the school was safe, the art of magic was safe. That had all been threatened only sixteen years ago. Had it been only sixteen years? It seemed only yesterday that Voldemort had been terrorizing the world. Albus had enjoyed a brief respite, but he knew, in his heart, that it wouldn't last.   
  
Now, he was back, and even more fearsome than he ever was. Albus sighed to himself, he knew, this time, he might not last, and the School itself would perish. He walked quietly, ruminating on old days. He remembered James and Lily. How would they have known? That their lives had been given up to a boy who had faced, and survived the Lord Voldemort four times, now? Only one other man had even survived him once, and that was himself.   
  
A sound from a nearby corner in the hall distracted Albus from his thoughts. As he approached the shadowed corner, he saw two glowing yellow eyes. The eyes belonged to a mangy tabby.  
  
"Oh. Hello, Mrs. Norris." Albus smiled slightly. Mrs. Norris had never cared for him much, so Albus wasn't surprised when she howled and stalked off the way he had come.  
  
"Albus!" he turned to see Professor McGonagall hurrying towards him at her normal brisk pace. "There are some students missing."  
  
"What?" Albus shook his head, not quite sure of what he heard.  
  
She sighed. "I noticed the Gryffindor common room open, and I am sure I felt something brush against my arm as I walked here." Albus smiled, remembering Harry's invisibility cloak.  
  
"I believe." He said, smiling faintly, "That Miss Granger has decide to take things into her own hands." He moved down towards the hall.  
  
"Albus. We simply cannot have students running around rampant in the school."  
  
"Albus." Another voice entered the room. It was Filch. "There's something running around the school. I'm not sure what it is. Mrs. Norris has been clinging to me all day." He motioned to the cat by his side.  
  
Albus' eyes widened. He turned to Minerva, a look of alarm on his face. "Where did you say Hermione was?"  
  
"It wasn't a student, Albus." Filch replied, even though there was no need to say it.  
  
"By the dungeons. Why, Albus?"  
  
"It seems we have a feline visitor." Albus said, gravely.  
  
  
When they got to the Slytherin common room, they were too late. The room looked as if it had been thrown in a typhoon and then put back. The room looked neat and orderly, but Albus could tell something was wrong. There was a heavy smell of sulfur in the air, and the candles were all lit. Albus looked around the room.  
  
"What are you looking for, Albus?" Minerva watched him, a worried look on her face.  
  
"This." Albus waved to the floor. There, glowing a soft green, was the Dark Mark.   
  
  
Harry ran down the stairs, closely pursued by Ron who was holding a lantern and travelling too slow for Harry. They ran smack into Hagrid, who was, in turn, closely pursued by Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"Hey, there, Harry, watch were yer goin'!" Hagrid picked him up, but the warm black eyes were filled with sorrow. Albus stepped forwards. "Harry, come with me." He turned to Ron. "You need to back to your room, Mr. Weasley."  
  
Ron looked at Harry, then Albus, then the others. "I'm not leaving." Ron said, quietly. Professor McGonagall looked as if she were about to say something, but Albus merely nodded. He quietly waved his hands, and the room around them dissolved, and then reappeared as Professor Dumbledore's office.  
  
Fawkes whistled his lovely song in greeting, which seemed to slightly lighten the grave situation.  
  
"Harry." Professor Dumbledore turned to smile at him. "I know I will not be able to stop you from gallivanting off, but I have to ask you one question: Do you understand the gravity of this situation?" Harry nodded.  
  
"Good. Now that we're on the same page, let me tell you that you might not come back alive this time. You have no defense against Voldemort, and-"  
  
"With all due respect, sir." Harry interjected. "I think I will be fine." Dumbledore nodded.   
  
"Then take this." Dumbledore handed him a jeweled encrusted sword that Harry recognized. He looked at the hilt and read the words on it: _Godric Gryffindor_. Harry smiled and knew, somehow, that he would live through this.  
  
"How do we get to Malfoy's Estate?"  
  
"Simple." Professor Snape's voice caused all five of them to jump. "You summoned me, Albus?" he stared, coldly at the others.  
  
Dumbledore nodded and smiled slightly. Snape looked down his hooked-nose at Harry with disdain. "Here." Snape handed Harry a small silver ring. Harry picked it up gingerly and turned it around in his fingers. It was a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. "Put it on." Snape whispered. Harry reached out his hand, which Ron grasped, tightly. He then grabbed the sword and jammed the ring on his finger at the same time.  
  
They disappeared in a flash of green light.  
  
"Will they be able to stop him?" Minerva's voice was solemn and grave.  
  
"We shall see." Albus replied.  
  
  
  
Ok...really short, but I will get more out soon!!!!!!!!!! Bye! 


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